This fall was supposed to be spectacular. After a year and a half of dealing with the trauma, anxiety, and exhaustion of the pandemic, the vaccines arrived, and it seemed like normalcy was around the corner. I was planning to throw house parties and enormous dinner gatherings to catch up with friends, and host Halloween and Thanksgiving shindigs. But the highly transmissible delta variant changed all of that.
With COVID-19 cases surging around the country, many of us are headed back indoors with our pod-mates. It’s a depressing thought. But to make it (slightly) more bearable, why not invest in a few things to liven up your home? We’ve selected some of our favorite design-forward home goods to inspire you as you spruce up your living space for the months to come.
A Splash of Color for Your Walls
Ronan Bouroullec is a celebrated furniture designer who is also known for beautiful abstract paintings. This one, featured in MoMA’s collection, is bound to put a smile on your face with its burst of colors. MoMA Design Store sells a print on embossed paper, which mimics the artist’s technique of using felt-tip pens on glossy paper. You won’t have to go through the trouble of framing it, because it comes in a wax oak molding and Plexiglass.
Make Your Own Artwork
If the Bouroullec painting got your creative juices flowing, maybe it’s time to make some abstract art of your own. These Doodle Crayons were developed by artist and designer Nikolas Bentel, who loves helping people reimagine everyday objects. The shape of the crayons spur you to use them in different ways—by pulling them along their sides or pushing them around flat. Then proudly display your scribbles and doodles on your fridge or walls.
A Rug With Many Lives
If you’re looking for a touch of warmth in your home, consider updating your rugs. Rather than buying a brand-new, factory-made one, you could get a vintage rug that has had many lives. Revival Rugs curates vintage rugs from around the world then cleans and refurbishes them. This particular one-of-a-kind rug was made in Malatya, Turkey, and it features geometric patterns that are unique to that region. The company allows you to search for a rug by size and color, so you can find one that is perfectly suited to your space.
Turn Your Bathroom Into a Museum
We start and end our days in the bathroom. Shouldn’t it be a gorgeous spot in the house? Design Milk has a range of bathroom products, from shower curtains to bath rugs, that feature modern art. I’m particularly taken by this one, called the Mendocino Moon Jelly rug, because it is inspired by the quiet town in California known for its beautiful mountain views. It’s designed in the Turkish kilim style and is made from quick-drying cotton.
Take In The Light
As the days get darker, you’ll want to brighten up your home. This meditative lamp, called the Reflection Oblo Table Lamp, was designed by David Weeks, an industrial designer from New York, and features a mouth-blown bulb and a base made of semi-translucent, hand-thrown porcelain that has a reflective glaze for enhancing the bulb’s light.
A Throw Blanket To Regale The Eyes
If you’re in the market for a throw blanket as the cooler months arrive, you might consider this lively, colorful one by the Japanese designer Osamu Mita. It’s inspired by Japanese vending machines that dispense capsules full of surprise toys. There are 15 patterns on display, each inside a circle meant to represent a toy capsule. Mita’s art has been featured in MoMA’s collection and these particular designs were part of a 1998 exhibit, Structure and Surface: Contemporary Japanese Textiles.
Give Your Pandemic Puppy A Designer Bed
You got a furry friend to help you get through the pandemic. As the two of you spend more time indoors, why not create a designer sanctuary for the little guy with this beautiful pet bed? The Penny Dog Bed is made by pedal loom weavers in San Antonio Palopó, Guatamala, and features striped fabric in a range of colors that will spruce up a room. If you don’t have a pet but you love the product, buy it anyway: It doubles as a floor pillow.
Splurge On Your Cozy Corner
If you’re going to spend a lot of time reading a book in a cozy corner of your home, you could do worse than this beautifully crafted full-grain leather chair that will last a lifetime. The Heyday Lounge Chair, designed by Blu Dot, is meant to make you feel like you’re suspended in mid-air. Bonus: The chair ships fully assembled.
A Broom You Can Believe In
You might think there’s nothing duller than a broom. But that’s because you haven’t explored the universe of artisanal brooms. These Rainbow Brooms are by designer Cynthia Main, who wanted to create home goods inspired by traditional Appalachian crafts. Each broom is sustainably made in Berea, Kentucky, and the brooms are hand woven from locally sourced wood. They’ll bring a smile to your face as you’re going about your chores and sweeping your home.
Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s Brands That Matter Awards before the early-rate deadline, May 3.